A tsakiyar shekarun 1980, Mary Austin ta tattara akwatuna huɗu na azurfa ta ajiye su a soron gidanta. Ba ta taɓa buɗe su ba—yana da zafi sosai. Kusan shekaru 40 bayan haka, a shekarar 2022, ta ƙarshe ta buɗe ɗaya. A ciki akwai tarin rubuce-rubucen hannu na Freddie Mercury, gami da waƙoƙi kamar "Don't Stop Me Now," "Killer Queen," "We Are the Champions," da kuma, ba shakka, "Bohemian Rhapsody." Ta rufe akwatin nan da nan. Har yanzu yana da zafi sosai.
"Idan na ce na cika da mamaki, wannan ƙarami ne," in ji ta. "Ba zan iya kallon waƙoƙin ba. Na ji kamar yadda na ji lokacin da na fara tattara su—su ne abubuwan sirrinsa, kuma na ji kamar an ba ni dama in leƙa cikin su, kuma ba zan iya yin hakan ba." Daga ƙarshe, ta nemi ƴaƴanta maza biyu su duba waɗannan taskokin don ita.
Rubuce-rubucen hannu na asali na waƙoƙin sun kasance nata. Haka kuma gidan Mercury, inda ta zauna fiye da shekaru 30. Haka kuma rabin dukiyarsa, wadda ta ƙaru a cikin shekarun da suka gabata daga kimanin £20-30 miliyan zuwa kusan £150 miliyan. A cikin shekarun da suka biyo bayan mutuwar Mercury, Austin ta zama mai arziki sosai, kodayake ta musanta rahotannin cewa rabonta na dukiyar ya haura zuwa 75% bayan iyayensa suka rasu.
Yawancin magoya bayan Queen sun zarge ta da ɓoye kayansa, samun kuɗi daga shahararren mawaƙin band din ba tare da yin komai ba, da kuma hana magoya baya da danginsa sanin ainihin abubuwa, kamar inda aka warwatsa tokarsa. A halin yanzu, Mercury ya zama kamar yana ganin ita ce mutum ɗaya a duniya da zai iya amincewa da ita gaba ɗaya, kuma Austin ta sadaukar da rayuwarta gare shi a hankali.
Ƙaunar da ke tsakanin Austin da Mercury abin sha'awa ne. A tsawon shekaru, ya sha ban sha'awa ga magoya bayansa, musamman saboda ba ta taɓa yin magana a fili game da shi ba.
Mun haɗu a ofisoshin Guardian a Landan. Austin tana da fuska mai ban sha'awa (idan ta yi murmushi, tana tunatar da ni kaɗan Debbie Harry), tana tafiya da sanda, kuma tana sanye da kyau amma cikin sauƙi. Komai game da ita ba a ƙara ba. Ta zo nan tare da ƙaramin ɗanta, Jamie, wanda ke cikin shekarunsa 30s kuma an haife shi watanni biyu bayan Mercury ya mutu a 1991 yana da shekaru 45. Abin mamaki, ya ɗan yi kama da mawaƙin, kodayake Mercury ba mahaifinsa ba ne.
Ta kusa fitar da littafi mai suna Freddie Mercury: A Life in Lyrics, wanda ya haɗa waƙoƙin a cikin ainihin sigar su marar tsari, hotuna, da tunaninta game da yadda waƙoƙin suka shafi Mercury, da kuma yadda Mercury ya shafi ita. Kamar yadda za ka yi tsammani daga wadda ta kare sirrinsa sosai tun bayan mutuwarsa, ba littafin bayyana komai ba ne. Haka kuma hirar yau ba haka ba ce. Amma tana da ban mamaki a buɗe game da rayuwarsu tare.
Ita da Mercury—an haife shi Farrokh Bulsara shekaru 80 da suka wuce a wannan makon—ma'aurata ne da ba su dace ba. Shi mai surutu ne, mai ƙawa, mai ƙarfin gwiwa, kuma mai ban dariya sosai. Ita mai shiru, mai natsuwa, mai kunya, kuma mai bin al'ada. Shi tauraron rock ne a cikin manyan ƙungiyoyin duniya; ita ma'aikaciyar shago ce wadda ta zama manaja a Biba. Yana son kashe kuɗi, ko a kan kansa ko don ayyukan alheri. Ita ba ta damu da abubuwan duniya ba. Shi ɗan luwadi ne; ita mace ce mai son maza kawai.
Sun haɗu a 1970, lokacin da Mercury ke gudanar da shagon tufafi a Kensington Market a Landan bayan ya kammala karatunsa na zane da ƙira. Austin abokiyar Brian May ce, kuma wata rana tana gidan May na ɗalibai lokacin da shi, Mercury, da Roger Taylor ke tunanin suna don sabuwar ƙungiyarsu. May ya ba da shawarar Build Your Own Boat. Mercury ya ba da shawarar Queen.
"Sun tambaye ni abin da na yi tunani," in ji ta. "Na ce na fi son Build Your Own Boat." Shin da gaske ta yi tunanin haka? "Oh, a'a. Na yi tunanin suna ne marar kyau. Amma Brian abokina ne. Na riga na haɗu da Freddie."
Menene ra'ayinta na farko? "Na yi tunanin ya fi ƙarfin gwiwa a gare ni." Ta kwatanta shi yana tsaye a gefen murhu yayin da ita ke zaune a kan sofa, kuma ina iya ganin ta koma wannan rana. "Ya cika da ƙarfin hali. Na ɗauki mujalla na fara jujjuya shi saboda na ji ba na kamata in kasance a wurin ba. Me ya sa nake zaune a cikin tattaunawar da ba ni da hannu a ciki? Eh, yana da ƙarfin gwiwa sosai, kuma na sami hakan ɗan tsoratarwa."
Amma ba da daɗewa ba suka zama abokai da masoya, kuma cikin watanni huɗu, Mercury ya ba da shawarar su zauna tare. Wataƙila ra'ayin ya kasance na aiki ne, in ji ta. Yana son zama a Landan amma ba zai iya biyan kuɗin wuri shi kaɗai ba. Don haka suka zauna tare suka raba kuɗin haya.
Duba hoto cikin cikakken allo
Kwanakin farko … Austin da Mercury a 1971. Hoto: Courtesy of Mary Austin
Sun haɗu a kan ƙwarewar ƙuruciyarsu mai wahala. An haifi Mercury a Zanzibar kuma, yana da shekaru bakwai, an tura shi makarantar kwana ta Burtaniya kusa da Mumbai. A cikin shekaru bakwai masu zuwa, bai ga iyayensa sau ɗaya ba face sau ɗaya, in ji Austin. Ya zo Biritaniya a karon farko yana da shekaru 17.
Austin ta girma tare da iyaye biyu kurame waɗanda ke fama da matsalar kuɗi. Mahaifiyarta mai tsabtace gida ce, kuma mahaifinta yana aiki a masana'anta. Mahaifiyarta ta mutu lokacin da Austin ke da shekaru 15, kuma ta sami kanta tana renon ƙanwar mata. Ita da Mercury duk sun ji cewa an ƙwace musu ƙuruciyarsu. "Freddie yana iya ganin baƙin cikin a cikina wanda shi kansa yake ji a cikin kansa, kuma akasin haka."
Ba da daɗewa ba ta gano cewa ba shi da tabbacin kansa kamar yadda ya bayyana. "Ya kasance haɗin ƙarfin gwiwa na gaske da ƙarfin hali. Ina tsammanin haɗin ya kasance don rufe da kare wanda yake da gaske." Ba abin mamaki ba, Mercury ya rikice game da ainihin sa. An haife shi a Afirka ga iyayen Parsi na Indiya kuma yana magana da lafazin Ingilishi. A lokacin, taurarin pop masu launin fata ba su da yawa.
A matsayina na yaro mai son Queen, ban san cewa shi ɗan Indiya ba ne. "Ya ɓoye hakan da kyau," in ji Austin. Shin tana tsammanin yana nuna kansa a matsayin Baturen Ingilishi? "Eh. Yakan guje wa rana saboda fatarsa za ta yi duhu, kuma ba ya son hakan. Tare da Freddie, kana ganin abin da yake so ka gani kawai. 'Yan sanda kan tsayar da shi a titi, su tambaye shi, 'Daga ina ka fito?' Lokacin da ya ce Bombay, sun kama shi saboda suna tsammanin yana wasa."
Duba hoto cikin cikakken allo
Austin da Mercury tare da John Deacon na Queen, Roger Taylor, da Brian May a bayansu, a Kempton Park racecourse don tallata kundi na A Day at the Races, 1976. Hoto: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Shin yana magana da harsunan Indiya? "Ba a gabanina ba. Iyayensa suna magana da Gujarati, amma shi yana amsawa da Ingilishi."
Duk da cewa ƙungiyar tana kiran Queen kuma Mercury ya kasance mai ban dariya sosai, lokacin da nake ƙarami, bai taɓa shiga raina cewa shi ɗan luwadi ne ba. Wannan ɗan saboda yana saduwa da Austin ne kuma ɗan saboda lokacin glam rock ne, lokacin da kowane tauraron pop namiji mai mutunci yana sanya kayan shafa, takalmi masu tsayi, da riguna.
Austin ta ce koyaushe tana da shakku, ko da yake. Ta sa ƙaramar kanta ta zama kamar mai tsananin ladabi. "Muna tafiya a Kensington High Street wata rana, watakila wata ɗaya bayan mun haɗu, kuma ya nuna wata tsohuwar budurwa a ƙetaren hanya ya ce, 'Ah, wannan ita ce tsohuwar budurwata, tana da bisexual.'" Ya tsaya ya yi mata hira. "Kuma a lokacin da ya waiwaya ya neme ni, na riga na tafi. Na yi tunani kawai, hmm, ban san abin da wannan yake ba, amma ba don ni ba." Kana jin kamar ka tsorata, in ji ni. A'a, in ji ta, hakan ba daidai ba ne. "Na tsorata da shi. Ya yi hakuri daga baya. A cikin duk waɗannan shekaru 20 da na san shi, wataƙila wannan ne kawai lokacin da ya taɓa yin hakuri."
Menene ya kamata ya yi hakuri? "Ban sani ba. Na ce, ina tsammanin wannan watakila ba don ni ba …" Har yanzu, ba ta san dalilin da ya sa ta yi haka ba. "Idan na waiwaya, zan iya cewa yana iya gwada ruwa." Kina tsammanin yana duba ko kai ma kana da bisexual? Ta gyada kai. "Amma ban so menage à trois ba. Ni mace ce mai son maza. Ban miƙe haka ba, ka sani."
Duba hoto cikin cikakken allo
Mercury da Austin a 1975. Hoto: Courtesy of Mary Austin
Amma tana son zama tare da shi. Kafin Mercury, Austin ta taɓa yin dangantaka gajeru biyu kawai. "Ya bambanta da sauran. Ya fi ƙirƙira. Ya fi ban sha'awa. Koyaushe yana tunanin ganin abubuwa, ba kawai ƙungiyoyi ba. Kamar yana son ganin fim ɗin Cabaret akai-akai. Ina son jin yadda yake bayyana dalilin da ya sa yake jin daɗinsa haka. Ina jin daɗin tafiya a cikin tunaninsa. Yana kama da karanta littafi. Koyaushe kana cikin wannan tafiya tare da shi."
Sun zauna tare a 1971 kuma ba da daɗewa ba suka yi alkawari. Mercury yana ɗokin samun nasara, wadda ba ta zo da sauri ba. "Na tuna yana cewa, 'Ina sane da cewa ina tsufa don zama mawaƙi mai nasara.'" Yana da shekaru 26 lokacin da Queen ta sanya hannu kan kwangilar rikodi mai muhimmanci da EMI, kuma waƙarsu ta biyu, Seven Seas of Rhye, ta zama hit a cikin Top 10. Wannan ya biyo bayan Killer Queen, wadda ta kai matsayi na 2.
Austin ta ce dangantakarsu ta fara canzawa. Ƙarfin hali na Mercury ya maye gurbinsa da ƙarfin gwiwa na gaske, kuma yana zama mai mai da hankali. Austin ta sami kanta tana biyan bukatunsa ƙara. "Zai ce ba zato ba tsammani, 'Ina bukatan piano. Ina zan samu piano?' … In ce, 'Ban sani ba, amma zan gwada in gano.' Don haka, ba shakka, na sami piano." Piano ne mai tsaye wanda masu shi ke kawar da shi.
Duba hoto cikin cikakken allo
Piano na Mercury da kayan wasan kwaikwayo na cikin abubuwan sirrinsa da aka nuna a gidan gwanjo na Sotheby's a Landan a watan Satumba 2023. Hoto: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Sotheby's
Shin piano ya canza shi? "Eh, akwai ƙarin kuzari mai ma'ana. Yakan zauna a piano, ya buga maɓallin, ya ɗan yi humming, kuma ya yi kama da farin ciki sosai. Ya ɗauke shi." A yanzu suna rage yin amfani da lokaci tare. Lokacin da take aiki a Biba, shi yakan yi barci. Lokacin da ta dawo gida, shi yana shirya don wasan kwaikwayo.
Sun zauna tare shekaru huɗu lokacin da Mercury ya ce yana da wani abu da zai gaya mata. Ya yi wahala ya fito da kalmomin. Ya ce, 'Ina tsammanin ni ɗan bisexual ne.' Na ce, 'A'a, Freddie, ina tsammanin kai ɗan luwadi ne.'" Bai yi gardama ba. Shin wannan babban abin takaici ne? "A'a, babban sauƙi ne, domin ban tabbata ba ko muna tafiya guda ɗaya ba. Wani lokaci da ya wuce na ga riga na yi tunani, wannan zai zama rigar aure mai kyau. Na tambayi Freddie, shin ya cancanci in saya, kuma ya dube ni ya girgiza kai. Don haka na san daga nan …"
Amma wannan shine abin da ya sa dangantakarsu ta zama ta musamman, in ji Austin. Ta ɓaci da rashin tabbas, kuma yanzu za ta iya karɓar rayuwa daban. "Mun zama abokai mafi kyau kuma dangantakar ta zama mafi kyau. Na kasance nauyin kilo 6.5. Na damu sosai. Kuma ba zato ba tsammani ban ƙara damuwa ba." Tsawon watanni 18, sun ci gaba da zama tare. A yanzu, Mercury ya bayyana mata game da mazan a rayuwarsa. Babban abokin zamansa na farko shine manajan show business David Minns, in ji ta. "A'a, ba za mu shiga wannan hanya ba. Muna magana game da hargitsi a nan."
Duba hoto cikin cikakken allo
Austin a 1984 … 'Na zama yarinyar Freddie ta kowace rana. Miss Reliable.' Hoto: Rogers/Getty Images
Austin ta zama PA na Mercury, kuma Mercury ya zama kamar yana ganin ayyukanta sun haɗa da yin sulhu a dangantakarsa mai tashin hankali da Minns. "Akwai gardama da faɗa kuma na koyi zama a waje saboda na san yadda dangantakar za ta iya zama mai hargitsi. Yayin da take ci gaba, na ƙara nisa saboda lokacin ƙarewa ne." A gare ki? "Eh, ina nufin, akwai PA-ing da PA-ing!"
Menene rayuwa ta kasance a matsayin PA na Mercury? "Na zama yarinyarsa ta kowace rana. Miss Reliable. Dokin aikinsa." Shin ta ji haushi da hakan? "Ba ni da ƙarfin son kai. A'a, ban ji haushi ba, domin ni mai amfani ne sosai. Na san cewa idan ban yi masa aiki ba, dole in yi aiki a wani wuri don wani." Shin ta fara jin ƙari kamar ma'aikaciya fiye da abokiya? "A'a, amma idan ya ɗauke ni a matsayin ma'aikaciya, da na haƙura da shi, domin na san cewa saboda yana cikin mummunan hali ne ko ya fusata da wani, ko watakila na yi wani abu ba tare da na sani ba. Mun kasance masu gaskiya da juna. Ya taɓa gaya mini cewa ba ni da inganci, kuma na yarda gaba ɗaya." Menene mafi munin abin da ya taɓa gaya mata? "Ba ki da inganci."
Queen da Mercury sun zama abin al'ajabi. A 1975, an fitar da Bohemian Rhapsody. Waƙoƙi yawanci mintuna uku ne. Wannan wasan opera ne na mintuna shida tare da labari marar ma'ana da ambaton Galileo, Figaro, da Scaramouche. Manajan Queen ya gaya musu cewa waƙar kashe kai ce. Bohemian Rhapsody ta tsaya a matsayi na 1 tsawon makonni tara kuma ta zama waƙar da ta fi sayarwa a shekarun 1970. Ƙungiyar ba ta da tabbas kamar yadda suke da nasara, suna motsawa daga pop na gargajiya (Don't Stop Me Now) zuwa prog rock (Innuendo), heavy rock (Seven Seas of Rhye), opera (Bohemian Rhapsody), waƙoƙin teku (Seaside Rendezvous), rockabilly (Crazy Little Thing Called Love), synth pop (Radio Gaga), disco, da hip-hop (Another One Bites the Dust).
Duba hoto cikin cikakken allo: Austin tare da Mercury a bikin cika shekarunsa 38, 5 Satumba 1984. Hoto: Alan Davidson/Shutterstock
Mercury yana da ban mamaki murya mai octaves huɗu, daga baritone zuwa falsetto. Billboard ta zaɓe shi a matsayin na uku mafi girma mawaƙin rock na kowane lokaci (bayan Mick Jagger da Stevie Nicks kawai); ChartMasters ta lissafa Queen a matsayin ƙungiyar ta biyu mafi sayarwa a kowane lokaci, bayan Beatles kawai. A 1985, lokacin da shahararsu ta zama kamar tana raguwa, sun fi kowane ƙungiyar a Live Aid. Kuma, idan wani abu, shahararsu ta ƙaru tun bayan mutuwar Mercury. Fim ɗin 2018 Bohemian Rhapsody ya samu kusan dala biliyan 1 a ofishin akwatin, mafi girman fim ɗin tarihin mawaƙa a lokacin.
Shin shahara ta canza Mercury? "Ta canza siffarsa," in ji Austin, "amma ba ainihin sa ba. Ba za ka iya shiga bas ba kuma, alal misali. Siffar tana canzawa a waje, amma a ciki kana zama ɗaya. Dole ka. Ba za ka tsira daga wannan sana'ar ba idan ba haka ba, domin son kai zai ɗauke ka ya hallaka ka."
Shin ya taɓa kasancewa cikin haɗarin son kai ya ɗauke shi? "Na ga ɗan haka." Yaushe? Ta ce ya fara lokacin da John Reid ke sarrafa ƙungiyar. "Suna tafiya, suna samun nasara, kuma akwai wasu tattaunawa masu ban sha'awa da za ka ji. 'Me ya sa muke wasa a wani yanki?' Ba zan faɗi inda ba, rashin mutunci ne sosai." Mercury ya yi tunanin wasu ƙasashe sun yi ƙanƙanta ga Queen. "Wannan abin sha'awa ne a gare ni."
A ƙarshen shekarun 1970, Mercury yana yawan zuwa sandunan fata da kulab ɗin ƙarƙashin ƙasa na New York. Daga nan ya ƙaura zuwa Munich, inda ya kai kololuwar lalata. Ya ba da ƴan hira kaɗan a rayuwarsa, domin ya ce kafofin watsa labarai sun kwatanta shi a matsayin "dodo," amma a cikin wata hira da ba ta da yawa a 1985, ya ce: "Na kasance tsohon ɗan iska wanda ke tashi kowace safiya, ya dafe kansa, ya yi mamakin wanda zai so ya yi lalata da shi a yau. Na rayu don jima'i kawai. Ni mutum ne mai son jima'i sosai, amma yanzu na fi zaɓe fiye da dā." Shekaru biyu bayan haka, ya gaya wa abokinsa, ɗan jarida David Wigg, "Na daina fita. Na kusan zama sufanci. Na yi tunanin jima'i yana da muhimmanci a gare ni … Na rayu ta hanyar jima'i … yanzu na koma gaba ɗaya. Ya tsoratar da ni har mutuwa. Na daina yin jima'i."
Duba hoto cikin cikakken allo: Mercury da Austin a 1985. Hoto: Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy
A watan Oktoba 1986, jaridun Burtaniya sun ruwaito cewa ya yi gwajin HIV, wanda ya musanta; ya ce yana cikin koshin lafiya. A gaskiya, Mercury ya gwada inganci, kuma watanni shida bayan haka likitocinsa sun tabbatar da cewa HIV ɗinsa ya ci gaba zuwa Aids. Ya gaya wa ƙungiyarsa ta kusa: abokin zamansa Jim Hutton, manajan Queen Jim Beach, da Austin.
"Ya so ya rayu rayuwarsa," in ji ta. "Yana da baƙin ciki; kana so ka rayu rayuwarka, sannan ka gane watakila ka tura littafin da nisa sosai, kuma ƙashin bayansa yana shirin tsagewa. Shin wannan kwatancin yana da ma'ana?" Amma ta yi imanin ya fi farin ciki a cikin shekarun da suka wuce na ɓarna da almubazzaranci. "Ina tsammanin ya fi jin 'yanci a New York. Babu wanda yake binsa a can. A Amurka, yana iya motsawa daga jiha zuwa jiha. Yana iya ɓacewa yayin da suke yawon shakatawa. Amma yana iya yin hakan a Faransa kuma, kuma ya yi shi a Munich. Duk inda mutane suka fi karɓar luwadinsa, yana farin ciki."
Shin tana tsammanin yana da wani nadama? "Koyaushe yana cewa bai yi nadamar komai ba. Amma ba ka taɓa sani ba." Ta dakata. "Akwai lokacin da ya ce yana fatan zai iya magana game da jarabar cocaine. Yana gaya mani game da shi, don haka ban san wanda yake fatan ya yi magana da shi ba. Ina tsammanin yana tunani ne kawai a ƙarami. Wannan ya riga ya wuce New York da almubazzaranci."
Shin cocaine ya canza shi? "A'a, na yi mamaki. Ban taɓa yin sa ba. Amma na kasance ina kallon mutane ina mamakin, yaya kuke yi? Yaya kuke sha haka?" Shin yana sha sosai? "Eh." Kuma shin ta taɓa shan ƙwayoyi? "A'a. To, na taɓa shan ɗan sigari na wiwi sau ɗaya."
Mercury ya kasance mai ƙirƙira sosai a shekarunsa na ƙarshe. Akwai haɗin gwiwarsa na opera a 1988 tare da Montserrat Caballé, Barcelona; Innuendo, kundin Queen na ƙarshe da aka fitar a rayuwarsa, a 1991; da kundin bayan mutuwarsa Made in Heaven, a 1995. Mercury yana zaune tare da Hutton a Garden Lodge a Kensington, gidan da aka gina don mai zane Cecil Rea da matarsa, mai sassaka Constance Halford. Yana son gidan da lambunansa na salon Japan. Austin tana zaune ƙasa da mil ɗaya, kuma ta tabbatar da cewa Garden Lodge yana daidai yadda yake so.
Shekaru biyu kafin Mercury ya mutu, lokacin da Austin ta kusan kai shekaru 40, ta haifi ɗanta na farko, Richard, tare da abokin zamanta na lokacin. Mercury ya zama uban godfather na Richard. Ina tambaya ko ya ƙaunace shi. "To, ya san yana da Aids, kuma ya ji cewa bai kamata ya taɓa Richard ko ya kusance shi ba, domin ba a san komai game da kwayar cutar a lokacin ba." Ba ta raba wannan damuwa ba, in ji ta. Lokacin da Mercury ke mutuwa, Austin tana da ciki da ɗanta na biyu, Jamie. "Na kasance a gefen gadonsa, ina riƙe hannunsa, ina yin duk abin da nake bukata."
An rubuta littattafai da yawa game da Mercury. Ɗaya da aka buga a bara ya nuna cewa yana da ɗiya ta sirri wadda ta mutu daga baya. Austin ba ta gamsu ba. "Bai taɓa gaya mini cewa yana da ɗiya ba, kuma ba zan iya tunanin zai taɓa ɓoye wannan sirrin ba." Ta yi dariya. "Yi hakuri!"
Kafofin watsa labarai sun kasance masu tsanani a ƙarshen. "Kafofin watsa labarai na Burtaniya sun yi tasiri sosai kuma sun tsara yadda ya rayu rayuwarsa," in ji Austin. "Akwai masu ɗaukar hoto a wajen Garden Lodge, kuma na tuna wani keke ya zo ya ɗauki fim ɗinsu. Mai aikawa ya tambayi ko akwai wani labari, kuma wani ya yi ihu, 'A'a, bai mutu ba tukuna.'" Har yaushe kafin ya mutu? "Watakila makonni biyu. Suna jira, kamar ungulu. Suna jiransa lokacin da yake da alƙawuran likita kuma dole ya fita daga gida. Freddie yana bukatan masu karkatar da hankali. Ya zama hargitsi."
Kwana ɗaya kafin ya mutu, Mercury ya fitar da sanarwar manema labarai yana cewa yana da Aids. Zai kasance da sauƙi a gare shi ya ce yana da ciwon huhu. Ko da yake ya yi ƙarya game da shi a baya, ya so gadonsa ya kasance game da karɓar da tallafawa mutanen da ke da Aids.
Game da Austin, ta rabu da mahaifin ƴaƴanta kafin a haifi Jamie. Daga baya ta yi aure, amma hakan ma bai daɗe ba. Shin tana tsammanin ƙaunarta ga Mercury ta shafi dangantakarta da sauran maza? "Ina tsammanin ina da ɗanɗano mara kyau," in ji ta. Shin ta taɓa zaɓar da kyau? "Bayan Freddie, a'a."
Shin tana iya tuna kalmomin ƙarshe da ya gaya mata? Shiru. Daga ƙarshe ta amsa. "Ina riƙe hannunsa. Yana kan morphine, yana shiga yana fita …" Ya fita daga hayyacinsa ya koma barci. Na tsaya na dogon lokaci har sai da ya sake farka, kuma ya ce kawai, 'Tsohuwar amintacciyata.' Don haka na ji ɗan kama da kare. Ban ji daɗi ba." Ta yi dariya. Yana ɗaya daga cikin dariyar mafi baƙin ciki da na taɓa ji.
Shin ya taɓa gaya mata yana ƙaunarta? "A'a. A'a, ba irin wanda zai faɗi haka ba … Yana sayen abubuwa." Shin ta yarda da shi lokacin da ya ce ya rubuta waƙar Love of My Life don ita? A'a, in ji ta, wannan tatsuniya ce. "Bai taɓa cewa game da ni take ba. Ya rubuta Lily of the Valley game da ni." Lily of the Valley waƙa ce mai ɓoye game da canjin luwadinsa da dangantakarsa da Austin. Ina tambaya ko shi ne ƙaunar rayuwarta. "Ina tsammanin zan iya cewa, idan na waiwaya, har yanzu, eh, shi ne ƙaunar rayuwata."
Wataƙila Mercury bai gaya wa Austin cewa yana ƙaunarta ba, amma a cikin wata hira a 1985, ya ce: "Aboki ɗaya da nake da shi ita ce Mary, kuma ba na son wani. Mun yi imani da juna, wannan ya ishe ni."
Duba hoto cikin cikakken allo
Mary Austin … 'Freddie yana iya ganin baƙin cikin a cikina wanda shi kansa yake ji a cikin kansa, kuma akasin haka.' Hoto: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
Ya kira Austin matarsa ta gari kuma, shekaru kafin ya mutu, ya gaya mata cewa za ta gaji gidan da kashi 50% na dukiyarsa da kuma haƙƙin mallaka na gaba. Ta gaya masa kai tsaye ba ta son Garden Lodge. "Na ce, ba na son gidan, na yi aiki tuƙuru don ka zauna a ciki. Kuma ya ce, idan komai ya tafi yadda aka tsara, da kin zama matata, kuma wannan da ya zama naki da kyau." A ƙarshe, in ji ta, ta ji cewa aikinta ne ta karɓi gadon.
Shin tana tsammanin ya yi hakan ne saboda ƙauna ko kuma a matsayin uzuri? Ta ɗan murɗe fuska. "Ban sani ba. Akwai ƙari a wannan jerin fiye da yadda kake gani, ina jin tsoro." Kamar me? "Oh,
